Other books that might interest you

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  The Caddie Was a Reindeer - And...

  Steve Rushin

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  “A joy ride through the wild world of sports from the best sportswriter in the country.” —St. Paul Pioneer Press   Steve Rushin, a four-time finalist for the National Magazine Award, has been hailed as one of the best sportswriters in America. In The Caddie Was a Reindeer, he circumnavigates the globe in pursuit of extreme recreation. In the Arctic Circle, he meets ice golfers. In Minnesota, he watches the National Amputee Golf Tournament, where one participant tells him, “I literally have one foot in the grave.” Along the way, Rushin meets fellow travelers like Joe Cahn, a professional tailgater who confesses aboard the RV in which he lives: “It’s wonderful to see America from your bathroom.” And even Rushin has logged fewer miles in pursuit of extreme recreation than Rich Rodriguez, a marathon roller-coaster rider who makes endless loops for entire summers on coasters around the world. The Caddie Was a Reindeer is a ride to everywhere: to south London (where Rushin downs pints with the King of Darts), to the Champs-Elysées (where the author indulges in “excessive nightclubbing” with World Cup soccer stars), and to Japan (where Rushin eats soba noodles with the world champion of competitive eating). Enlightening, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartwarming, this collection is not a body of work: it’s a body of play.

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  Cycling Plus: New Year's...

  Rob Kemp

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  We take a look at the things you should be cutting down if you want to speed up in 2017.

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  My Paddle to the Sea - Eleven...

  John Lane

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  “In an age that values faster and faster travel, Lane’s river memoir affirms the great value of floating and observing.”—Booklist    Three months after a family vacation in Costa Rica ends in tragedy when two fellow rafters die on the flooded Rio Reventazón, John Lane sets out with friends from his own backyard in upcountry South Carolina to calm his nerves and to paddle to the sea. Like Huck Finn, Lane sees a river journey as a portal to change, but unlike Twain’s character, Lane isn’t escaping. He’s getting intimate with the river that flows right past his home in the Spartanburg suburbs. Lane’s three-­hundred-mile float trip takes him down the Broad River and into Lake Marion before continuing down the Santee River. Along the way, Lane recounts local history and spars with streamside literary presences such as Mind of the South author W. J. Cash; Henry Savage, author of the Rivers of America Series volume on the Santee; novelist and Pulitzer Prize–winner Julia Peterkin; early explorer John Lawson; and poet and outdoor writer Archibald Rutledge.   Lane ponders the sites of old cotton mills; abandoned locks, canals, and bridges; ghost towns fallen into decay a century before; Indian mounds; American Revolutionary and Civil War battle sites; nuclear power plants; and boat landings. Along the way he encounters a cast of characters Twain himself would envy—perplexed fishermen, catfish clean­ers, river rats, and a trio of drug-addled drifters on a lonely boat dock a day’s paddle from the sea. By the time Lane and his companions finally approach the ocean about forty miles north of Charleston, they have to fight the tide and set a furious pace. Through it all, paddle stroke by paddle stroke, Lane is reminded why life and rivers have always been wedded together.

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  Me and the Table - My Autobiography

  Stephen Hendry

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  The story of history's most successful snooker player began in 1981, when Stephen Hendry's parents gave their twelve-year-old son a junior-sized table as a Christmas present. From the moment he picked up the cue, he was focused on becoming the best player the world had ever seen. During a time regarded as the golden age of the sport, he took on and won against giants of the game, such as Steve Davis, 'Hurricane' Higgins and Jimmy White. Over a 27-year career, he won the World Championship seven times, the Masters six times and the UK Championship five times.In Me and the Table, Hendry tells his extraordinary life story for the first time. He speaks candidly about the world of snooker in the 1980s and '90s, and also reflects on the difficult years of his career during the 2000s, when he had to delve deeper than ever before to bring about changes in both his game and his life. Hendry retired in 2012 and has forged a new career as a sports pundit and commentator, playing in exhibition matches and spending time in China, playing Chinese eight-ball. To this day, no one has beaten his seven World Champion titles. At last, the legend tells his story.'Snooker, for all its ups and downs, is my sanctuary and always has been. Whenever I've felt disappointed, depressed, or caught up in a crisis, the table has always been there for me, comforting and unchanging.'

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  The Springbok Captains - The Men...

  Edward Griffiths

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  For more than a century, the Springbok captain has represented the pinnacle of rugby achievement in South Africa. In this revealing narrative, Edward Griffiths and Stephen Nell tell the stories of the elite group of men who have been able to call themselves 'Springbok captain', exploring their backgrounds, their triumphs and their disappointments. The Springbok Captains offers an epic historical perspective on this remarkable country, viewed through the prism of rugby. Compelling and emotional, the book brings the story of the Springbok captains right up to date. Relive the heyday of legends such as Bennie Osler, Danie Craven, Hennie Muller, Johan Claassen, Naas Botha, François Pienaar, Gary Teichmann, Joost van der Westhuizen, Andre Vos and others. This revised and updated third edition includes up-to-date accounts of the careers of Bob Skinstad, John Smit, Victor Matfield and Jean de Villiers, as well as the story of the Springboks' 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign.

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  Boston Marathon - History by the...

  Paul C. Clerici

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  “Clerici brings the race to life through . . . stories about every statue, landmark and portion of the course from its start in 1897 to its current incarnation” (MetroWest Daily News).   From Hopkinton to Boylston Street, the beloved 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon mark historic moments and memories dating back to 1897. Town by town and step by step, follow author, journalist, and runner Paul C. Clerici as he goes deeper into each town and city along the route with firsthand descriptions of the course from the uphill climbs to the spirited sprints. Insightful anecdotes, from the naming of Heartbreak Hill to the incorporation of women runners, reveal meaningful racing heritage along the route. This comprehensive and unique journey also explores the stories behind notable landmarks, statues, and mile markers throughout the course. Woven into the course history is expert advice on how to run each leg of the race from renowned running coach Bill Squires. Whether you’re a runner, spectator, or fan, Boston Marathon: History by the Mile has it all.   Includes photos!

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